Phoenix next up for CMU women

@JimLahdeLast Thursday they lost at home to fifth-ranked Notre Dame 72-63.

On Sunday the Central Michigan University women’s basketball program played at 14th-ranked Purdue and lost 87-71.

At noon Wednesday Sue Guevara and her Chippewas play host to Green Bay from McGuirk Arena in what is going to be another uber-difficult contest.

CMU is also hosting its third annual Hoops for Hunger promotion, an event that helped raise over 51,000 pounds of food for those in need one year ago.

As it stands the Chippewas (2-4), who have played the second toughest schedule in the country through six games, know what to expect in this one as they also lost at Green Bay 75-48 on Nov. 17.

In short Green Bay is a fantastic team, one that has made the NCAA Tournament in each of the past four seasons all while putting together the best five-year run in school history dating back to 2006.

Since 2007 the Phoenix (5-1) have averaged 30 wins per season and it appears they might soar to similar heights in 2012-13.

“They dismantled us,” said Guevara of her team’s showing at Green Bay in November. “And I think they’re playing better right now than when we played them the first time. They’re not in the top-25 but I voted for them.”

Coming in the Phoenix have won two straight games and are averaging 69 points per game while allowing 54.

“They’re a veteran team that just knows where each other is at, they can probably finish each other’s sentences,” said Guevara. “Our margin for error is this game is low. The last time we played them we played a lot of one on one and had a lot of one and dones, we can’t do that. We have to run our offense and make Green Bay defend us. We also have to finish our shots.”

The Chippewas have the potential to stay with anyone as evidenced by last week’s solid showing versus the Irish. However if they are going to take the next step and become an elite team they need to be more consistent in every phase of the game. There have been flashes of greatness but also stretches where CMU has looked out of sorts. And again Guevara’s team is in the midst of playing what is nothing short of a brutally-tough schedule so growth might be tough to see with the naked eye.

Sophomore guard Jessica Green, who held her own against Notre Dame three-time All-American Skylar Diggins last week, has really started to emerge as a team leader this year as she leads the team in scoring with 16 points per. Fellow sophomore Crystal Bradford is the only other Chippewas averaging double digits in scoring as she pours in 13 points per game.

As for Wednesday’s promotion people are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items. There will be a drop-off table located in the atrium of McGuirk Arena that will accept donations starting at 11 a.m.